A casting may be created by the lost wax process, in which a wax pattern is formed by injection molding. One or more wax patterns are then attached to a runner, creating a wax tree assembly. A ceramic or other mold material is then spread over the wax tree assembly to create a shell, which acts as a mold. The shell is then heated to remove the wax. A molten material such as a metal is then poured into the ceramic shell and allowed to harden. The ceramic is then broken away and the castings removed from the runner.
The lost wax process is highly labor intensive even though wax pattern production, ceramic buildup and metal pouring have been successfully automated; the assembly of wax trees must be accomplished largely by hand. This is particularly true where wax tree assemblies are large and complex, involving a large number of parts. Large and complex wax patterns also require skilled and artistic wax tree assemblers.
The complexity of wax trees has made it desirable to create wax runners out of more than one piece of wax. It may also be necessary to move different pieces of the wax runner or the wax pattern in order to create a more accurate final casting.
Accordingly, a process for connecting different pieces of a wax runner together to form a single wax tree is desirable. A process of adapting a wax runner or wax pattern from a first position to a second position in creating a lost wax tree is also desirable.